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| The abandoned IPS School 1 on East 36th Street. |
Forest Manor was one of the first suburbs of Indianapolis. Built in the 1920s (as was the school) it grew to become one of the largest neighborhoods in the city by the mid-1950s.
The neighborhood was typical of first-ring suburbs in Indianapolis, in that it experienced a rapid demographic shift in the 1960s. By the mid-1960s black families began moving into the Forest Manor and whites rapidly moved out, primarily to the Carmel area. I remember as a kid on the Eastside in the early ‘70s, the neighborhood was still quite well integrated, but just a few years later it had become majority African-American.
Today Forest Manor is struggling. I don’t know exactly when this school closed, but I’m guessing sometime in the early 1980s. It was used by a church outreach program for a time in the mid-‘80s, but now it sits vacant. The poor bent flagpole still hangs on for now.
If you went to School 1 I’d like to hear your remembrances of the school and of the Forest Manor neighborhood.
I attended School 1 from KG - 3rd grade. I have found memories of Mrs. Walton, Mrs. Montgomery and Principal Greene. I really wish the school could be renovated.
ReplyDeleteMy first 8 years of schooling were spent in that school 1953-1961, Mrs. Shirley was principal. There was a "new" addition which housed a gym/auditorium and classrooms for grades 7&8. The old auditorium was where I received the polio shot. Also I remember each child bringing a potato to school and the mothers would then make potato soup in the basement lunch room. Linda Kincaid Jenkins
DeleteDoes anyone know how or why the school was designated School No. 1?
DeleteI attended IPS 1 for 5th and 6th grades, 1957-59. Mrs. Shirley was the principal. Didn't know the neighborhood--I cam by bus from three or four miles away. I remember Mrs. Gates (my homeroom teacher), Mr. Brady (social studies?), Mr. Hughes (science?), Mr. Anderson (music), and Ms Appleby or Appleton (art). Most memorable classmate was Michael Mark. Decades later a therapist asked about the funniest thing I had ever heard anyone say. Michael said it.
ReplyDeleteI was in the last 8th grade class school 1 had. I attended school 1 from 1st to 8th grades the school closed in 1973
ReplyDeleteSchool 1 didnt close until the end of the 82 83 school year. I attended their from 78 until it was closed and went to school 89 for grades 5-6
DeleteThanks for update Brian.
DeleteYou're correct Brian. I went to the school from K-6th grade. I remember Principal Greene, Mrs. Walton, Mr. & Mrs. Kerr and my 6th grade teacher, Mrs. Betty (who ALWAYS drank coffee). So many good memories.
DeleteTrue
DeleteI attended School 1 from 1961-64 for grades 6-8. We had some very good teachers as I recall including Mrs. Warren, Miss Frey, Mr. Hammons and Mr. Calloway and Miss Rababa (librarian). Some of our teachers were interesting "characters" like Mr. McDaniel the shop teacher and Mrs. Schwartz. I remember playing in the band - Mr. Salzman was the director. Mrs. Geyer was a firm but kind principal.
ReplyDeleteClimbed the stairs behind that boarded up entrance for 4 years after I transferred from School 71 to School 1 for 5th-8th grade (1963-67) Special Education classes (the gifted talented program of the day). Haven't thought about elementary school for a VERY long time, but it is definitely sad to see the old building in ruins. A few random memories: in 5th grade - learning of JFK's assassination and being dismissed early. Some novel & advanced (for the time) elementary school academic approaches - French language classes, typing class (to facilitate essay & report writing), and intense critical small group literature discussions. Some of the fun memories: the basement lunchroom and secretly stuffing the monitor's bell with paper napkins to disable the ding; the clouds of chalk dust on the playground when clapping the dirty erasers together; getting to ring the chimes in the Jr. High hallway - to signal the start of classes, I believe; and fiercely competitive girls kickball games against rival schools 92 and 42 coached by our beloved Miss Anna Wessel (later of Arlington HS). Wish I had candid photos from back in the days--flashback to our horrible 1-piece, snap closed gym suits, perhaps not.
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DeleteI attended School Number 1 from 1959-1966. Mrs. Shirley was the principal when my older brothers attended and Mrs. Geyer was my principal. Firm indeed. (She was kind of scary to me). I remember she had rashes on her legs. Some other teacher’s names: Mrs. Mrs. White, Mrs. Guyo, Mr. Mac, Mrs. Smith.
I vividly remember Miss Wessel. She wore hose with seams up the back and well below the knee, white pleated skirt and a whistle around her neck. She had us run laps in the old gym. I remember old brown linoleum floor, the tall windows and the stage with stage lighting. I especially remember that because I stuck my finger in one of the sockets and got a zapped. I remember some of us pounding the floor together at each corner. I’d forgotten about the blue gym suits.
I also remember when JFK was assassinated. Unforgettable for all of us.
I also remember the whole school watching John Glen’s take off on one small TV in the new gym. I could never forget our wonderful Mr. Murphy, who was so much more than the school janitor. He was with us and he loved us. Our school was spotless and I will never forget the smell of pine and floor wax. We loved him, and he us. I can see the basement lunchroom, the cooks in the kitchen in hairnets. The bread and government supplied butter, sloppy joes and the milk refer, where you could get chocolate milk. Mrs. Smith, the Home Ec teacher was the lunchroom monitor. Mrs. Graham was my kindergarten teacher and Mrs. Ward my 1st grade teacher. And Mr Anderson, our music teacher, would roll the piano into our first grade classroom and have us all sit on the floor. Full, bouncy petticoats were the style and we never sat on our petticoats. We fluffed them out around our legs and knees.
My mother was very involved in the PTA. She organized family fun, and it was fun. She and her best friends Mary Lennon (Brad Lennon’s mom) and Jean Harmon starred in a family fun skit where they played being beatniks. Mr. Murphy was in another skit with them wearing a too-tight football uniform and helmet. My mom and her friends were dressed as cheerleaders and were doing the can can.That was in the new gym. I have pictures of that.
On Fridays around 2:30 you could smell the
popcorn that we bought for 10 cents a bag. I ate it walking home. Because I had things to carry, I used my tongue to get at it . By the time I got home, the sack was pretty soggy. You triggered a lot of memories. I used to have vivid dreams about going into the building while it was still a school and looking around.
The gym teacher paddled the boys, and misbehaving kids had to stand in the hall. The desks in Miss Hohenstein’s 3rd grade room were old fashioned. You stored your things under the fold up top and they had inkwells in the upper right hand corner.
Your memories brought it all back to life for me, which is a comfort to the nostalgic heart.
Sydney - It was great to read your post. You reminded me of so much like Mr. Murphy ! I was in Mrs. Guio's class when principal Mrs. Geyer came in to whisper to her about Kennedy assassination. She did not tell us but said something has happened and we will be dismissing class for your to go home and your parents will tell you and it seemed like their was question if it was true. I lived right across from school on Station and Mrs. Guio (my favorite teacher) parked in front of our house. I waited for her to come out and tell her it was true.
DeleteThere are 2 Facebook groups for School 1. One is called Indianapolis Public School #1 https://www.facebook.com/groups/177115115655748 and other is called George Rogers Clark School #1 Indianapolis https://www.facebook.com/groups/673481982760958
I had Mrs. Graham, Mrs Ward and of course Mr. Anderson for music and home room later on. I went back while in high school to spend week on special project working with Mrs. Davie (not sure of spelling as I did not have her as teacher). I was always a bit afraid of her but she was great teacher. While in college, I substituted taught there. Mrs Ford, my 8th grade teacher, was still there but as librarian.
Hopefully you will receive notification of this post.
Thanks for sharing.
Marilyn Eaton Jacobs
School #1 and the surrounding neighborhood is a demonstration of our inability as a people, as a nation, to embrace the concept of integration. The social construction of race in the United States renders our schools are as segregated now as they were in 1954. I moved from the Meridian-Kessler neighborhood where I had attended School #84 and found myself at School #1 for grades 4 -6 from 1972-1975. During that time, I learned of the amazing disparity in education and how most teachers in these hyper-segregated schools did not give a damn if the Black children learned or did not. Thus, I only remember the teachers who cared: Mr. (Rev.) Eugene Ramsey, Mrs. Patricia Mackey (spelling), and the Prinicpal, the late Mr. Isaiah Greene. Many of the others could not teach a bird to fly. That is precisely why they were planted at School #1 and schools like it.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PyWPcUNQz0A
I attended School 1 K-8 starting 1958 or 1959. I have a year book from early 1960's with message from principal which says it was named George Rogers Clark because he camped in the area as they were going through Northwest Territory. I remember hearing this as kid but do not know if this true or not. As to why it was caused School #1, the principal also wrote that it was first designated as Township #8. " In 1925 school was opened with 300 students and became the current school #1" Still doesn't really explain but is most I have found so far. I found a book on Indpls Public Schools on Google Books also with date of 1925 for the school but that was pretty much all it said. It showed that Anderson Library had the book so contacted the library and they said they do not have that edition and there is nothing about the school in the edition they have. They said IU library has it and should contact my local library to inter library loan to get copy. Will try this because now I am curious.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the great info! Makes sense that it may have been the first school in a newly-designated township. I look forward to what you find in the old book. Good luck.
DeleteWho owns the building now?
ReplyDeleteGood question. Last time I went by there it was just crumbling, so whoever it is obviously does not care much about preserving the building.
Deletehttp://www.digitalindy.org/cdm/singleitem/collection/ftoh/id/52/rec/1
ReplyDeleteLarry - Do you have access to newspapers.com? I searched it and there are 68 articles searching George Rogers Clark School Indianapolis. Starts in 1927 when the school was dedicated. There was an article in 1991 about making the school into apartments. Including the link but not sure if it will work since it is a subscription to the newspaper. https://www.newspapers.com/image/313073185/?terms=%22George+Rogers+Clark+School%22
ReplyDeleteTried the link, but you have to be a subscriber. Thanks
DeleteI went to school one and graduated in 1980 we skated in the gym after school track and field day was in the back at the time it was huge then lol i miss school one does anyone know where ms. Chetam is
ReplyDeleteI remember ms. Chetam. (Don't know where she is). I remember the gym. I remember the school having sock hop. Lol!
DeleteGeorge rodger Clark was my school I went tbere 2nd grade to I graduated from there we were last of 8 grade that we nt there
ReplyDeleteanybody know why the school closed down, I am curious on what happened
ReplyDeleteBrian Williams and I must have attended school #1 at the same time. I attended from 1st through 4th grade. When the school closed, I transferred to school 89 for 4th and 5th grade.
ReplyDeleteI believe it was always a school and was abandoned in the 80's when a pipe burst in the basement. I worked with mission Indy as a teenager in the mid 90's and we started working to try and clean it up so it could be used as an outreach program or something else, but they quickly realized it was unsalvageable. It still looked like a school when we were working there, they just up and left when the pipe burst and didn't clear out anything, the basement was still completely flooded.
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